In a traditional PSTN network, calls are routed through dedicated switching assemblies. To expand the capability of this system, more or larger switching assemblies are utilized. Given the rapid expansion of telecommunications, in part owing to the increase in digital and wireless traffic, the switching system has had to rapidly expand to handle the call volume.
Computer networking technology and the Internet offer two models of flexibility and scalability that the telephone industry has looked to for the future. In that regard, industry groups have established the concept of the “Softswitch,” a software-based switching network. These efforts are described in part at two industry websites: the International Softswitch Consortium at www.softswitch.org and the Multiservice Switching Forum at www.msforum.org.
Notwithstanding this work, there remains a need for a switching system that may be easily scaled and can handle a variety of protocols and signalling formats (e.g., SS7, ATM, VoIP, MGCP, H.323, H.248). By breaking down the functions performed in a softswitch and distributing those functions over several computing platforms, a more flexible and scalable architecture is achieved. Further, by selectively providing different forms and levels of redundancy for the various platforms, a more reliable system can be obtained. Finally, by providing a platform that translates from one of the several external protocols to an internal, proprietary protocol, the switch can have universal application.